Current Series - Variations 8584

8584 Variations investigates the relationship between painting and improvised music. Every canvas in the series is divided into 8,584 individual 'cells', each measuring 2/8" x 3/8". Every brushstroke corresponds to one cell, resulting in a uniform yet subtly nuanced surface tension. Like improvised music, the final outcome of each painting is not predetermined. The initial top line sets the tone, providing a foundational motif that influences subsequent choices of colour and tonal direction. Each new line responds intuitively to decisions made in the preceding one, allowing structures and patterns to emerge organically through improvisational dialogue.

Echoing the impulse of live improvisation, there is no overpainting—each brushstroke remains untouched once applied, preserving the immediacy of the decisions. Small discrepancies and variations remain visible, inviting viewers to explore the painting as a record of an unfolding, improvisational process. Although static in nature, the varied raised surface formed by the application of 8,584 individual brushstrokes, allows for different visual experiences changing with shifts in light source and light intensity. This series is part of an ongoing exploration of creating 'visual music' through texture and form.